[10 NOV 07] CRUSADER NEWS                                                       

Coventry Crusaders (37) 63

Luna Mansfield Stars(38) 77

Crusaders Ousted from National Cup 10-11-07 

Luna Mansfield Stars have knocked their second Division One team out of the Cup as of Saturday night when they came to Coventry and handily beat the Crusaders. 

The Stars successful progress through the cup is commendable to the programme they have going there, and their talent and their passion will help them in the next difficult quarter finals round. 

The Stars were the first on the scoreboard.  Watts was sent to the free throw line early in the game, scoring both. 

But Ed Baynes Clarke and Ben Clarke both quickly put Crusaders points in the basket to start Coventry’s campaign.  

For the first five minutes the game was a close-fought encounter, but the Stars started pulling away with a pile of points contributed by Richards and Stockwell. By the end of the first period the visitors had sprung ahead of Crusaders 17-28. 

The second quarter started off with Crusaders cutting their deficit to 8 points before Stars surged forward again. 

Then the Crusaders went on a 14-3 run, however catching up with Luna Mansfield just before half-time. Stars’ Middleton went to the line with a few seconds left on the clock, scoring one, to just give them the edge before the interval 37-38. 

In the third period both teams struggled to score. Crusaders had contained Stars to just 10 points in the 2^nd, and then to 9 points in the 3^rd.  Their own ability to take advantage of the situation did not really help them, however, as they only scored 12 in the quarter. 

Coach Neely used the second half to bring on Juniors (U-18’s) Dave Edden and Tim Donaldson, both making their first appearances in a Division One home game.  They joined their Junior’s team mate Sydney Donaldson who was in the starting line-up. 

When the 4^th quarter started Crusaders had regained the edge 49-47, but as soon as the last period began Stars scored again, tying the game and then again to go ahead. 

Stars had to know that they were in with a real chance of continuing their National Cup pursuit, as they then went on a run, scoring nine unanswered points to put them up by 55-68 with under three minutes to play. 

Although Ryan Luethy hit a couple of baskets and on-form Clarke made a 3-pointer, the Stars were in it for the win, by then, and kept the pressure on, increasing their lead and running out deserved winners 63-77. 

Crusaders never looked like their heart was in it the way the Mansfield team did. Somehow they lacked the passion that was required to keep a close game, a close game.  Neither did they seem to take the challenge of a Cup game seriously. 

Crusaders Scorers: Linacre 2, S. Donaldson 4, Hall 5, Edden 5, Baynes Clarke 10, Luethy 17, B. Clarke 20 

Stars Scorers: Middleton 3, Richards 8, Watts 11, O’Shea 13, Shaw 19, Stockwell 23

Crusaders next home game will be on Sat. 24^th Nov. when they face London Leopards. 

Crusaders U-14’s played a tournament in Birmingham this weekend, losing to City of Birmingham and Manchester Magic, but gaining in experience all the time.

U-16’s had mixed results; losing to Ilkeston on Saturday by 10, and beating City of Birmingham II at home on Sunday 56-47.

U-18’s won at Black Country Wolves on Sunday, in a high scoring game, 102-94, with Ricardo Gordon top-scoring with 36 points, supported by Dave Edden with 26, and Sydney Donaldson with 20.